Drop leaf support construction for a table or the like



April 22, 1952 H. HOWE DROP LEAF SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION FOR A TABLE OR THE LIKE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed March 2, 1950" INVENTOR. fieazp fan E. BY 7% if ATToRfiYs:

Apnl 22, 1952 H. HOWE 2,594,262

' DROP LEAF SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION FOR A TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed March 2, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 l II" I 22 ,1; I 4Z g i l 7 i I III I 4'0 46 I I I I .1 I 76- I I t I i 26 I l I I 64 I L I E I INVENTORVZ fleaa 7214 5. BY

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 22, 1952 D -L AF SUPPORT CONSTRU T ONT E A TABLE R THE L'IKE mpldHowe, Rowayton, ConIL, assignon to Howe- Eo slinaF rni ura n ew; erksN-i f-iav prnotation of-New Xork Ap i aemMaia 2, 195a seriarnmiir ges adl i (01.311-62) This inventionrelates to: a drop leaf; support constructionfor a table or the like.

An object of the invention is to. provide. drop leaf support construction which: also serves as a lockagainst accidental folding. of the drop leaf.

Another: object of thefiinvention istorpr'ovide a simple, practical and eifective. drop leaf structure.

Other objects of thelinvention wi-ll beiin part obvious orimpart pointed out;hereinafter.

The. invention according-1y consists in thefeatures' of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and; in; the several: steps and; relation and: orderof a each: of; said step to one or; more of the others; thereof; all as; will bepointed outinlthez following description, and the sccperogfithe; application of; which; will be; indicated; in-the following claims The invention will best; be; understood if the o o n d scr t ea i con c n: t the drawings, in which.

Figure 1., is a perspective wiew;

Fiigurezisa sideeleyation of the upper porti no hetabie sho n. in F u 1;

F ure s a t i v ew. showin a o mer mounting and connections of. a brace memberfor a drop leaf;

Figure 4 is a detailed view on. an enlarged scale loolgingalong) the-line 45-4 ofjEi gnre 3' in the direction oifithe; arrows;

u s end e evationa i w partly n cross-sectiontalge'n on the line 5q-5j of ;Eigure 1";

Figure" 5 s t; endfvie r o z' he tructurr emn t o d d; an

Fi ure alnelrsee tiv v w sh win od fledzd cn ea un ortinsmea s In the .embodi ent of the, invention disclosed herein a, table structure is shown comprising, a top or supporting surface divided into four porti'o'ns includin the mainorbody portion divided into two halve Ill and, [2 connected, together by. hinges l4, and thejtwo drop leaves and I8 h needly Qonnecte td hfe port ons, It andzlivrerspectivelyby. thehingesl'fl and22=respectivelyl If desired theinvention can A be usefully applied .to a; table' employing. only, a-single drop. leaf.

The table top portions I 0. and 12 are respectively mounted on support means by pivotal connecting meansso that the support means for each table top half-.is-movable fromv an unfolded position in which it is ubstantially normalto the table. ton-halt o a f lde P Qn h it is vsubstan a lyv parallel: wi h l e. table ha AS1 h0WI 1 fiI6i the: support. ans for t e. upportsurface In com rises: the legs; 241V and 2a joined together at.- the topgby; thecro ss; member 22;. Thelegs 24. and 2,1and the-crossmemb h-lfi comprise an. integral U ,-shaped members The cross member 28" is rotatably mounted; on; the under side of support surface. lfiiby; thdbraclgets an invwhichthe cross member.- 2..fl.. s-;r.ot ta.b ceived. thus making it; possible for; the; legs, to rotateirom a position substantially norm 1;;to the surface. lflto, a position substantially parallel to it.

Support surface portion I2 is; similarly-s p; ported on legs 32.and:3..d; connectedgby the; cross member 36, which is pivoted t the under; side of surface i2.-by the brackets 38..

Extending between. thellegs zl gandld-below the cross member 278, is a cross .rodJiQr. Bstween said rod 40 and the under. urface ofrdronlcafz 5:, brace means, preferably apair 0i blaGes, are provided. Each such brace means comprises; a rigid member 42 connected at: its lower; end; by pivot M to aneyeAG whichisslippedioven rod!!! and is rotatable around rod 405. and slideable lengthwise on rodidll. The. pivot;- extends in a plane at right angles to.-rod:4.0:.p

Connected at the other/endof rigidbracemcmgber 42 Icy-pivot 48 isalink 50:;which inturn is pivotally' connected by pivot.52. to: a'bracketz dl secured-to the under side. of drop. leaf. 16.. Pivots 48 and 52 are normal to one. another thu per;- mitting relative movement between the-drop leaf and brace member 42 either laterallyorlongitu: dinally of surface l6.

Similarly between legs 32 and: 34 a cross-trod 56 isprovided below crossmember 36; Between said rod 55 and the under surface ofdrop-- leaf I8, brace means, preferably-apair -of bra'ce's are provided. These brace means are similarto those described above in connection with the rodJlO each comprising a rigid member t2? connected at its lower end by a pivot-Mia-toadeye;46' =which is slipped over rod 56'andis-rotatablearound rod 56 and slideable lengthwise on rod 6- "Iihepitot 44 extendsin a plane at rightiang'le to 'rod dfi. Connectedat the other endof rigidbrac "me ber. 4.2 by p vo tw salink, .9? which a pm is connected by a pivot, 52? to a bracket 514% secured to the underside of drop leaf l8 Eivots Q8} and 52 are normal to. one, another thus pe imitting relative movement between theldrgplleaf and brace member 42%. either laterally. or longitudinally of the surface I8.' V

When'the top portions wand;- 1a are in abutting, unfolded positionwith the drop Ile ,esQIB and I8 hanging down; the wes 43 and ,iii of ac mem ers an ii e eet t nurse moved toward one another on rods and 56 respectively said brace members tnus approaching a parallel relation to said rods, whereas when the drop leaves are in elevated position, in alignment with the table top portions Id and I2, the said brace members 42 and t2 Will extend substantially at right angles to said rods 4;: and respectively. When a drop leaf is raised the eyes 45 and 46 of its brace means will automatically slide outwardly on its rod thus moving the brace means from a position approaching parallel relation to the rod to a position at right angles to the rod. In this position each brace means acts as a. look, not only supporting its drop leaf but also keeping the table top portions I0 and I2 in abutting relation and preventing folding of the table top until inward movement of eyes 45 and 45 on their rods respectively is initiated positively.

When the table is folded the eyes 46 and 46 of the brace members slide inwardly along said rods 49 and respectively until brace members 42 and 42 are substantially parallel with said rods 40 and 55 respectively when the table is completely folded as illustrated in Figure 6.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1 a shelf is provided between the legs supporting the table top and comprising two halves 55 and Su hinged together by hinge means 6| (Figure 6) along their inner edges for folding in unison with folding of the table top, and in the same direction of fold. A cross bar 64 is shown between the legs 24 and 26 supporting surface portion Ii], and a cross bar 66 is shown between the legs 32 and 34 supporting the table top portion [2, and the shelf 60 is supported from said cross bars by means of hangers 68 secured to the shelf preferably at its corners, said hangers 68 having eyes in at their upper ends slipped over said cross bars 64 and 36 thus making the shelf halves 60 and 60 rotatable on said bars 6% and 66 respectively for folding and unfolding.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3 brace members 12 and T4 are shown extending between cross rod 48 and the under surface of table top portion 12. Similarly braces 12 and '14 are shown extending between cross rod 56 and the under surface of table top portion l0. These braces are provided at either end with pivotal connections for folding of the table structure. This arrangement, and mounting of braces 14 and 14 results in the transmission to both top portions l8 and I2 of folding force exerted on either top portion or its support means 24-,-28-or 32-38. For many uses the said "braces 12 and 14, '12 and '14 will suflice to posiation the support means for the table top, without the aid of the drop leaf braces 42 and 42 or shelf 60, but both the braces 42 and 12 and the shelf 60 coact with braces 12-74 and H i l, to provide a. folding table having strength and rigidity when unfolded, well adapted for example for transporting food.

An advantage of the structure disclosed herein lies in the fact that the brace means 42 and 42 both drop leaves are down. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 5 this fact is availed of to provide a space under the table top so that a cabinet 16, indicated in dotted lines in Figure 5, or the like, may be conveniently and removably positioned resting on shelf 60, as for example to keep dishes and food warm while the table, employed as a service table, is being moved to a room in a hotel, club or home preparatory to serving food there. As shown in Figure 5, in order to receive cabinet 16. the brace members 12 and i4 and 72 and 14 for the main table top portions lu and I2 respectively, are all positioned on the same side of a plane passing through the longitudinal median line of the table leaving an unobstructed space between shelf Bil and the top, on the other side of said plane.

It will be understood that instead of having one end of a drop leaf brace means fixed to a drop leaf and its other end slideable on rod 40 or 56, extending between legs of support means for the main table top, the reverse of this arrangement may be employed within the scope of my invention. Thus as shown in Figure 7 one end of the portion 80, of a drop leaf brace may be pivoted to a link 82 which is fixed to the leg 84 of support means for the main table top portions 85 to which a drop leaf 86 is hinged and the other end of the said rigid member may be pivotally connected to an eye 88 which is slideable on a rod 90 fastened to the under surface of the drop leaf 86 and extending in a plane parallel to the plane of the drop leaf, or mounted in any other suitable way for sliding movement on said drop leaf and for rotative movement with respect to the drop leaf.

Another advantage of the structure disclosed herein is that when the table is folded the brace means for the drop leaves serve to hold the drop leaves against the outer side of the support means respectively and prevent flapping of the brace means against the legs.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a method and apparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. As various possible embodiments might be made of the mechanical features of the above invention and as the art herein described might be varied in various parts, all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

l. A drop leaf construction for a table or the like comprising a plurality of drop leaves hinged to a plurality of edges of the top of said table or the like, two pairs of legs for supporting said table positioned adjacent the respective edges of the table top to which said drop leaves are respectively joined, cross rods interconnecting the legs of said pairs of legs respectively, and other brace means interconnecting said rods'and the under surfaces of said drop leaves respectively, said brace means each comprising a rigid member having pivotally attached at one end an eye adapted to be slipped over one of said rods and to be rotatable and slideabl on the rod, the said pivotal connection between said rigid member and said eye permitting angular movement of said rigid member in a plane at right angles to the rotative movement of said eye and said rigid member about said rod, said rigid member being connected at its other end to a link by a pivot the axis of which is substantially parallel to the axis of the pivot joining said rigid member to said eye, said link being pivotally connected at its other end to a bracket secured to the under surface of said drop leaf, the axis of the pivot connecting said link to said bracket being at right angles to the axis of the pivot connecting said link to said rigid member said drop leaf braces serving, when the drop leaves are elevated, as a lock preventing folding of the table top.

2. A drop leaf construction for a table or the like comprising a plurality of drop leaves hinged to a plurality of edges of the top of said table or the like, two pairs of legs for supporting said table positioned adjacent the respective edges of the table to which said drop leaves are respec tively joined, crossmods interconnecting the legs of said pairs of'lgs'respectively, and braces interconnecting said drop leaves 'to said cross rods respectively, said braces being connected to said drop'leaves respectively by connecting means permitting pivotal movement of the braces with respect to the drop leaves'r-espectively in a plurality of planes at right angles to one another, and being connected/to said cross rods respectively by means permitting pivotal movement of the braces with respect to said cross rods respectively in planes including both a brace and the cross rod means'to which it is connected, and also permit- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 12,973 Hendricks June 15, 1909 138,182 Payzant Apr. 22, 1873 138,309 Abbott et al Apr. 29, 1873 330,100 Ellyson Nov. 10, 1885 360,788 Wilson Apr. 5, 1887 390,145 Ulsh Sept. 25, 1888 587,518 Bartelle Aug. 8, 1897 1,115,731 Owens Nov. 3, 1914 1,625,294 Whitesides Apr. 19, 1927 1,627,557 Gilbert May 10, 1927 1,808,305 Howe June 2, 1931 1,865,254 Howe June 28, 1931 1,930,176 Metzler Oct. 10, 1933 2,256,004 Thomas Sept. 16, 1941 2,458,627 North Jan. 11, 1949 

